Connecticut Core Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy

Systems of Professional LearningModule 1 Grades K–5: Focus on Instructional Shifts

Activity 3

Activity 3: Reading, Writing, and Speaking with Evidence

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#2 Shift in the Use of EvidenceText-

dependent answers

Writing from

sources

Reading, writing, and

speaking grounded in

evidence from text

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Reading, Writing, and Speaking Grounded in Evidence from Text – Why?

• College and workplace writing requires evidence

• ELA/Literacy standards focus on comprehending and communicating knowledge gained from text

• Being able to locate and deploy evidence are hallmarks of strong readers and writers

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What is Close Reading?“Close, analytic reading stresses engaging with a text of sufficient complexity directly and examining meaning thoroughly and methodically, encouraging students to read and reread deliberately.”

Source: Structure of the Model Content Frameworks for ELA/Literacy, 2012, p. 7

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Text-Dependent Questions

Alice in Wonderland: How would you react if you saw a talking rabbit?

In “Casey at the Bat,” Casey strikes out. Describe a time when you failed at something.

The Talking Cloth: Did you ever take a trip to a far-off country? What did you bring back from your trip?

How did Alice react when she saw the talking rabbit?

What makes Casey’s experiences at bat humorous?

We just learned that the cloth originated in Africa. Why does the author include this information?

Not Text-Dependent Text-Dependent

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Text-Dependent Questions

What was the color of Red Riding Hood’s cape?What was the name of the girl who visited the three bears?Where did Hansel and Gretel’s parents tell them to wait?What did the fairy godmother turn into a coach?

Why did the fairy promise that Sleeping Beauty would one day prick her finger with a needle and die?How did the stepmother and stepsisters treat Cinderella? Give examples from the text?Why was it important that Cinderella lost her shoe?

Trivial Important

From Shanahan, Timothy. “Letting the Text Take Center Stage: How the Common Core Standards will Transform English Language Arts” American Educator. Fall 2013.

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Creating Text-Dependent Questions• Step 1: Identify core content and ideas• Step 2: Identify vocabulary and

language structures• Step 3: Identify difficult sections

Phase 1: Read the text closely before

creating text-dependent questions

• Step 4: Start with easier questions• Step 5: Connect lesson standards and

questions• Step 6: Create culminating assessment

aligned with standards

Phase 2: Create coherent

sequences of text- dependent questions

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Text-Dependent Questions: Try it Out1. Working in pairs, choose one of the content-rich texts on

your table.2. Select a short excerpt from the text (three or four

paragraphs).3. Determine something in the excerpt which might prove

challenging to readers.4. Write two or three text-dependent questions which will

help students address that challenge.5. Share with your table: What support will teachers need

in writing text-dependent questions?

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What is the Relationship Between Reading & Writing?

“When reading and writing instruction include significant opportunities for students to write about text, students have the potential to improve not only content knowledge, but also skills in reading comprehension.”

Graham & Hebert, 2010. Based on a meta-analyses of 93 studies of writing instruction.

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Writing Grounded in Evidence from Text

Narrative

Research

Argumentative/Opinion Explanation

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Purposeful Writing EmphasizesWriting to Sources

Increase attention to writing that requires use of evidence from texts• Careful analyses• Well-defended claims• Clear information

Narrative writing to convey personal experience is still important, but comprises far less of instructional time than does argument and informational writing

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Oral language is the foundation for reading and writing

Integrate spoken and written language to advance communication, collaboration, and cognitive skills

Engage students in active discussion in which they use evidence from text

Speaking Grounded in Evidence

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Activity 3: Instructional Shift 2

Part 1: Reading, Writing, and Speaking with Evidence, K–5In table groups of K-1, 2-3, and 4-5 educators, coaches will reflect on a video of a lesson that is aligned with Shift 2: Reading, writing, and speaking grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational.

Pay careful attention to how the teacher supports students in using evidence.

FOCUS: Text-dependent questions

Video: Grade 4, ELA/Science

Video: http://commoncore.americaachieves.org/module/20

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Activity 3: CCS Instructional Shift 2 Part 2: Reading, Writing, and Speaking Grounded in Evidence from Text1. On your chart paper, write “Shift 2: Reading, Writing, and Speaking

Grounded in Evidence from Text2. Divide the paper into 3 sections. Label these sections:

Observations, Supports, and Questions.3. In the top section answer: What would you observe (see and hear)

in a classroom aligned with Shift 2? 4. In the second section answer: What supports will

teachers need to implement Shift 2 effectively?5. In the third section, jot down any questions you have about Shift 2.

Place your anchor chart on the wall designated Shift 2.

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